Storm Hawks' Countdown Till Christmas
by kisa-kara-chan
Summary: **DISCONTINUED DUE TO LACK OF INTEREST** The TRUE sequel to "Dance Away, Dance Away, Dance Away All". Almost a year after Piper's death and bringing-back, the Storm Hawks face 2 deaths of their friends.Now they must travel the Atmos to gather the 12 items of Christmas to bring them back. PxA, OCxOC
1. Reminiscence

**YES! The TRUE sequel to _"Dance Away, Dance Away, Dance Away All!"_ is finally here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (the TRUE sequel in which no one but me knew about. bwahaha.)**

**Now... the pairings are continued from the first story, however, Angela is still with Cyclonia (yeah, poor Finn). **

**Second of all... if you haven't read "_Dance Away, Dance Away, Dance Away All_"... READ IT! OC CHARACTERS ARE CONTINUED FROM THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Find it on my profile. :D **

**Well... I hope this story can be just nearly as good as the last one, considering this IS the sequel.**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Now... a little thing you need to know:**

**This chapter is VERY short, as it is technically the set-up/prologue chapter. **

**PLEASE R&R!**

**Disclaimer: Storm Hawks (c) Nerd Corps and Ace Fipke  
Claimer: everything else (c) me**

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Chapter One: Reminiscence

_I can't believe it's already been a__lmost a __whole year,_ Piper of the Storm Hawks thought. _It'd be depressing to say that this is the__ almost-__one-year anniversary of my death. Of course, that _is_ true, however, being brought back on Christmas Day is a different story._

"Hey Piper!" Sky Knight Aerrow greeted after knocking on her door.

"Hey Aerrow," she replied in a sigh.

His emerald eyes grew worried. "Is something wrong, Piper?" he queried.

She shook her head. "I was just thinking that how it's almost Christmas, and how that I died one year ago before Kara, Adrian, Laura and Chris helped me back to Atmos," she explained, adding in a soft tone, "and back to _you_, Aerrow."

Grinning, he walked over and gave her a sweet kiss.

"Um… Aerrow?" Stork began on the intercom, "You'd… better come to the Bridge and listen to this transmission. It's from the Wyvern Knights on Atmosia, you know… well… yeah."

Hurriedly, both Piper and Aerrow rushed to the Bridge, where they were met by their fellow teammates, Finn, Junko, Radarr, and their helmsman Stork.

"Playback the transmission, will ya Stork?" Aerrow requested.

Flicking a single switch, a voice was heard through the radio intercom. "Wyvern Knights to Storm Hawks, this is Kara speaking," a 15-year-old female voice announced. "On behalf of the Wyvern Knights, we'd like to invite the Storm Hawks squadron to come join us for a special Christmas celebration on Terra Atmosia tonight. If you would like to attend, please come to the Wyvern Knight Headquarters on the terra and there will be someone to confirm your attendance with. I hope you can attend! Kara, out."

Aerrow grinned, turning to his squadron. "So… what do you think guys, should we go?"

"YEAH!" they all (except maybe Stork) exclaimed, pumping a fist into the air.

The redhead looked at Stork, excitement glittering in his emerald eyes. "Stork, set a course for Terra Atmosia!"

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**Oh... and I'm TOTALLY open up to any ideas and suggestions you have. So please review (*hint, hint*) and tell me! **


	2. Running Out of Time

**Well... here's the next chapter!**

**PLEASE R&R!**

**Disclaimer: Storm Hawks (c) Nerd Corps and Ace Fipke  
Claimer: everything else (c) me**

* * *

Chapter Two: Running Out of Time

"All right… I think we're half-way done the preparations," Kara declared proudly, glancing up at her boyfriend and medic. Her white dress blew around her legs as she looked up at the decorations placed on the dance hall.

Adrian rolled his light chestnut eyes and shook his head at her. "You said that one _hour_ ago!" he pretended to whine, "It doesn't have to be so perfect, you know."

"Oh, but it does!" Another voice argued, and both teens turned to see their friends Laura and Chris walking towards them. "It's a Christmas celebration!" Laura said, her golden eyes glittering with excitement.

Kara twisted her head away to cough twice. The Sky Knight had been feeling a little under the weather lately, and it didn't seem to be getting any better yet. She's lost a lot of sleep over the party.

"Oh Kara," Adrian sighed worriedly, placing a hand on her bare shoulder. "Are you sure you're well enough to continue this? You know the rest of us could just take care of it."

She shook her head stubbornly. "No, I can do it," she tried to convince, mostly to herself before breaking into a fit of coughs.

"Kara," he said sternly, "as your doctor and boyfriend, I'm telling you to go lay down." Placing a hand on her forehead, he added, "You're burning up. Don't worry, the rest of us can handle this. Now please, for my sake, go lie down. Here, I'll take you back. Chris, Laura, I'll be back in a few moments. Please take care of things here."

Very carefully, Adrian kneeled down and picked up his girlfriend on his back, her arms loosely draped over his shoulders.

"A-Adrian…" she mumbled tiredly. "Please… I'm alright…"

He shook his head. "No… you're anything but," he retorted, adjusting her comfortably in his arms as they began to head back to their home. "I find that your fever is rather strange, considering I'm not able to relieve it. I think we should probably check you into the Atmosian General Hospital, or else pay a visit to Terra Hospitia. I'm really starting to worry about you, especially after what happened last week when we tried to infiltrate Cyclonia. I'm really sorry, that was all my fault."

"Don't worry about me," she breathed against his ear weakly, "I'll be alright… Cyclonis didn't hurt me that badly with that crystal of hers."

"I wish I could believe you," he replied, his voice strained.

Kara weakly smiled at him. "I'm sorry for making you worry," she whispered against his neck as her eyes fluttered close. "I love you…"

Glancing back at her, he couldn't help but offer a soft smile. "I love you too. I promise I'll take care of you," he promised her.

_I know you will…_ she thought in reply.

--

When Adrian arrived back to his and Kara's home, as well as it being the headquarters for the Wyvern Knights, he carried her upstairs to her bedroom, slipping off her half-inch heels and setting her down on the bed, pulling up the bedcovers over her.

"Sleep well, Kara," he whispered, giving her a light kiss on the forehead. "We'll take care of the rest." _And I'll most definitely research your illness. Maybe I could find a cure, or at least how to heal you,_ he added mentally. _Or else I'm taking you to Terra Hospitia first thing tomorrow morning. _

After watching her for a few minutes, he quietly left the room and the house.

Kara's eyes fluttered half-open as she blinked up to look at the familiar ceiling.

"Mmm…" she moaned.

_So Adrian's already left…_ she thought, _He's probably still feeling guilty after I saved his life by taking that shot from Cyclonis. I think that might have been a level 9 Poison Crystal, or else it wouldn't have affected me this badly. My magic is running dry keeping me alive…. Unfortunately… I think I might only have until tomorrow morning… _

Weakly reaching over to grab a book off the night table, she carefully held it up and opened it, scanning through the pages before something important caught her eye. The book dropped from her grip and clambered to the floor with a brief _thump_.

"O-Oh no…" she rasped weakly. "That's not something good…."

Thoughts flashed through her mind, but only one scared and worried her the most. _Piper's life has been bound to my own. If I die… Piper will die too… But that doesn't make sense… the power of the three spirits combined with the power of the Guardian of Atmos should have been able to bring her back without any problems. Something must have happened… or else Cyclonis has something to do with this. I don't have the energy to fight through the Cyclonians once I get there, but I have to. If I'm going to die, I shouldn't have to drag Piper into this too._

Forcing herself up and out of bed, she wrote a quick note of apology to Adrian. Then she opened up the window and closed her eyes, shifting her form into a fiery red phoenix before leaping out the window, spreading her wings and taking flight, soaring high into the air and off.

"Oh yeah, and I forgot…" Adrian murmured as he walked back through the door, glancing at a clipboard that Kara had left downstairs. He looked back at the bed to notice that it was empty. Instantly he dropped the clipboard and towards the empty window, looking out and around for any signs of the young woman. Noticing the note on her pillow, he picked it up and read it quickly.

_Adrian,_

_I'm going off to Cyclonia. I've got something I need to deal with Cyclonis. Please don't come after me, and I love you._

_Sincerely,_

_Kara_

"No…" he breathed in utter horror before placing the note in his pocket and running off to the basement where they kept their skimmers. Leaping onto his skimmer, he revved up the engine and opened up the ramp leading up to the surface. The skimmer drove forward as he drove out, the ramp closing after him, sealing back the house.

_Kara, what are you doing?_ He thought desperately as he swerved around various buildings. _Why are you going after Cyclonis? You're in no condition to do this._

As he drove by the dance hall, both Chris and Laura looked at him as he slowed down to a halt for a moment.

"Hey Adrian, where are you going?" Chris asked.

Laura seemed to notice his discomfort. "Is something wrong?" she inquired.

"Kara's gone," he declared.

"What?!" they both shrieked.

"And I'm going after her," he continued, "I need you two to stay here and keep working on the decorations and stuff. We'll be back before tonight, I promise."

Without waiting for reply, he sped off and transformed his skimmer into the bi-plane mode, swerving around buildings and flying high into the skies, leaving the terra behind. Placing a Nitro Crystal inside the crystal, the skimmer surged forward with a quick but powerful burst of energy.

_Come on, Kara… please be alright…_ he thought with great urgency.

--

With a portion of her magic, Kara teleported herself to Cyclonia, crashing in her phoenix form on the ground. Quickly allowing her to turn invisible, she quietly snuck into Cyclonis' throne room, finding onto the Master herself and her most trusted henchman, the Dark Ace. Turning visible again, she blasted the Dark Ace with a single shot of her rare white Striker Crystal-powered energy blade, knocking him down where she held the blade over him, looking up at the smirking Cyclonis.

"We need to talk," Kara hissed acidly, her eyes fluttering feverishly.

"Dark Ace, leave us," the young ruler of Cyclonia ordered.

As Kara withdrew her blade, the Dark Ace rose, bowing hastily before shooting a cold glare at the Sky Knight before leaving the room.

"You look unwell, Kara," Cyclonis mentioned, playing dumb. "Are you alright?"

But the Wyvern Knight saw through her sympathy act. "You very well know why I'm unwell. It was that level 9 Poison Crystal you shot at me not a few days ago," she snapped. "But why have you dragged Piper into this?!"

"I'm impressed that you could recognize the grade of the crystal. But it wasn't me who created that crystal to kill you and Piper," Cyclonis responded calmly. "A man came to me and gave it to me, telling me to use it specifically on the Guardian of Atmos, _you_. What it would do is that when _you_ died, anyone that you had helped resurrected would die too."

Kara winced at a creeping pain in her side where she was shot a few days ago. "W-Who was this man?" she demanded.

"Oh… I'm not telling you," the Cyclonian ruler taunted. "However, I _will_ tell you this. He's someone you once knew."

"H-How can I save Piper?" Kara heaved tiredly.

"Oh? And how about yourself? Don't you _care_ whether you die or not?" Cyclonis wondered out loud.

The Sky Knight shook her head. "I'd die before I'd let anyone else take my place," she challenged. "I know the Storm Hawks will defeat you without my or anyone else's help. I have been blessed with everything I'd had ever wanted enough; power, love, recognition, and courage."

She was a little surprised at her answer, and she couldn't help but grin. "Of course there will be a price though," she began.

"What do you _want_, Cyclonis?" Kara spat, "The Guardian of Atmos' life, _my_ life, has already been forfeited. There can be nothing done about it. One of your enemies has been eliminated."

"A certain… crystal," she continued. "I know you have the power and ability to create crystals. I want you to make me a Helix Crystal."

The dying warrior gritted her teeth. With a Helix Crystal, Cyclonis would have the entire Atmos at her fingertips. She had to find a way out of this. Suddenly, the thought came to her head.

"On the condition that you tell me the crystal that will save Piper," she negotiated.

"Deal," Cyclonis replied easily. "The Helix Crystal, if you will."

Kara closed her eyes, letting the crystal's image come to her. As a pulsing crystal shimmered into appearance in her hands, she knew that Cyclonis could tell that she was weakening gradually with creating the new crystal. With a heavy sigh, the crystal finished materializing, fully charged and ready to go.

"Here," she said, giving the evil master the powerful crystal, "now tell me how to save Piper."

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	3. Farewell, Atmos

**Hey Storm Hawks fans! Here's the next chapter. Time is running out for Sky Knight Kara of the Wyvern Knights, as well as Piper of the Storm Hawks. Will Kara be able to save Piper in time?**

**PLEASE R&R!**

**Disclaimer: Storm Hawks (c) Nerd Corps and Ace Fipke  
Claimer: everything else (c) me**

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Chapter Three: Farewell, Atmos

_Damn it, Kara,_ Adrian thought as he continued to fly his skimmer towards the dark capital._ Why are you doing this? What exactly are you trying to do?_

Suddenly, he noticed a weak-looking Sky Hawk fly towards him. His eyes widened when he recognized dark brown eyes.

"Kara!" he exclaimed, surging his skimmer forward nearer.

"A-Adrian?" she rasped, glowing and transforming before dropping behind her boyfriend on his skimmer. "W-What are you doing out here?"

He looked back at her, worry set in his eyes. "Looking for you. I found your note," he told her, wrapping his arms around her for a moment before setting his grip back around his handlebars, "I've been so worried."

"Sorry…" she apologized quietly as she leaned forward on his back. "Didn't mean to worry you."

"Kara, y-you seem even paler than you were earlier…" he stammered. "Your illness isn't caused by some fever… is it…"

She smiled, knowing she wasn't going to dare tell him the truth of the matter. "I'll be fine soon enough," she lied sweetly and flawlessly, pressuring a little bit of magic mesmeriser in her voice.

Reaching back, he stroked her face and forced a small smile. "I love you, Kara," he whispered affectionately.

"I love you too," she replied. "Now let's get back, we don't want to worry Chris and Laura. Plus, I expect the Storm Hawks will arrive soon."

Revving the skimmer around, Adrian forced a smile. "Okay, hold on tight," he told her.

Her grip was weak, but nevertheless still strong enough for him to recognize that she didn't feel as bad as she seemed. But she knew in her heart that time was running out for her.

- - - - - -

"Hey Chris! Hey Laura!" Piper exclaimed cheerfully as the Storm Hawks arrived on Atmosia, going to greet their friends at the dance hall.

"Hi, I'm Finn," Finn greeted, hurrying up to Laura. Out of all the Storm Hawks, only Piper had met Chris and Laura.

"It's good to meet you all," Aerrow greeted, shaking Chris' hand. "Thanks for bringing Piper back to us last year. Sorry we couldn't come visit."

He shook his head. "It's cool. Thanks, but it was Kara who contributed the most to that one," he replied coolly.

"Speaking of, where is she?" Junko inquired.

Laura's eyes dimmed, and Chris set a hand on her shoulder. "They'll be alright…" he murmured to her gently.

"Did something happen to them?!" Junko exclaimed.

Laura sighed depressingly. "Kara's been very ill these past few days. Apparently for some reason just about an hour ago she was for Cyclonia. Adrian went after her not too long afterwards. Haven't heard anything from them," she explained.

"I hope they're alright," Piper thought out loud worriedly.

"Hey…" Aerrow tried to reassured, "they're both Sky Knights. They can handle Cyclonia."

"But in Kara's condition, it makes us unsure," Laura said sadly. "We're all worried. But Adrian told us to continue and finish up with tonight's organizations. In truth, there wasn't much left to finish. Kara did all of it already for the rest of us."

Suddenly, they heard the sound of a faraway engine, and turned to see a skimmer soaring towards them, two familiar figures on board.

"Adrian! Kara!" Chris exclaimed, waving his arm to them.

Soaring down to them, Adrian gently brought down to the skimmer to touch land before he stopped and shut it off, climbing off and carefully picking up Kara in his arms.

"Hey, are you guys okay?" Aerrow asked as they all hurried over to them.

Very carefully, Adrian set Kara down, helping the young woman stand by wrapping an arm around her waist tightly.

"We'll be fine," Kara assured. "Hello Storm Hawks, it's good to see all of you again. Chris, Laura, have the final preparations been finished."

They both nodded.

"Excellent," she sighed contently. "Ah yes, I have all of your outfits set and ready in my bedroom wardrobe." Chuckling she added, "Don't worry Stork, they've all been contamination-proof sprayed, so you don't have to worry. Piper, an exquisite dress, the rest of you, specially-sized tuxedos. Mmm… hey Adrian? Can I go back to get some sleep? I'm exhausted. Don't worry. I promise I won't sneak out again."

Very gently, Adrian turned to kiss her on the forehead. "Okay, let's go. Please excuse us for a few minutes."

After Adrian and Kara left, Aerrow and Piper looked at Chris and Laura.

"Is there anything else left to be done?" Aerrow inquired. "We'd be glad to help."

They shook their head.

"We've finished the last of the preparations," Laura responded.

Chris grinned in agreement. "Now all we need to do is wait," he said.

- - - - - -

Later that night, Piper and Aerrow walked in together into the grand ballroom. A midnight blue dress hugged against her body, dark green gloves on her hands, a pearl necklace dangling around her neck, her hair tied up into a high ponytail, the blue strands curled at the end. Aerrow was dressed in a black and white tuxedo, a red rose stitched on the shirt. The rest of the team followed after them, dressed up in their fancy tuxedos.

"We now welcome you your gracious hosts of the night," a voice on the intercom speaker said. "Please welcome the Wyvern Knights squadron, Chris and Laura."

Double doors swung open on the opposite side of the room, and the pair stepped out, Laura's arm linked with Chris'. Chris was wearing a pure white tuxedo, while Laura was wearing a gorgeous red and green thick-strapped dress. They bowed and curtsied respectively to the crowd before moving away after the applause began to die down.

"And now welcome the Wyvern Knight Sky Knights, Adrian and Kara," the voice finished.

From the darkness of the corridor, two figures began walking out. One dressed in a black tuxedo like most of the other guys in the room, and the other dressed in a tight white spaghetti-strap dress. Kara's arm was linked through Adrian's and it was obvious that she was leaning on him. But the arm that was tightly around her waist immediately alerted the Storm Hawks that the Sky Knight was not as well as she seemed to be.

Both bowed to the crowd before Adrian carefully led his girlfriend to the middle of the ballroom.

"We welcome you to the second annual Christmas ball," Kara greeted.

"We hope you enjoy this special fest hosted by the Wyvern Knights. Please dance to your heart's content and enjoy the spread of treats we have set out," Adrian finished.

Enchanting classical music began after he finished his speech, and very gently Adrian took Kara's hand, escorting her out to dance as he wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, keeping her close so that his face was just inches above hers.

Chris took Laura's hand as they followed suit, however, their posture was more formal. Aerrow and Piper followed, the Sky Knight navigator pair waltzing extravagantly like the other two couples.

- - - - - -

Later that night, Kara and Adrian had changed into their sleep-ware, Adrian dressed in a white t-shirt and black shorts, and his girlfriend dressed in a dark navy blue nightgown. They laid together in their bed, Adrian's arm draped across her waist, holding her tight against his chest. Adrian was fast asleep, while Kara lay awake, knowing that time was almost out for her. He promised her that he would take her to Terra Hospitia in the morning, but she knew in her heart that she wouldn't make it till then. Using the last of her magic, she summoned the dark blue crystal from the inside drawer of her desk into her hand.

_I-I must… save Piper… from suffering… with my death…_ she thought weakly, her life beginning to fade.

Looking up into the sleeping face of the Sky Knight she had fallen in love with, she smiled softly. Reaching up, she kissed him gently on the lips before clutching the crystal tight in her chest.

"I'm sorry, Adrian," she whispered quietly as her eyes began to close. "I love you."

Twisting so that she lay directly against him on her side, her body moulded against his, the crystal was clutched in between her hands against her chest tightly, the blue light faintly illuminating her face and Adrian's. As the light began to fade as the crystal took its effects, Kara's eyes were just barely open into mere slits.

_Adrian… I'm so sorry…_ her last thoughts rang, _I love you… and goodbye…_

The warmth of his body laying against hers began to fade… and soon she only felt nothing, except the numbness of what used to be pain. In her hands, the crystal crumbled to dust, the light in the room dying like the light that had faded from Kara's body.

- - - - - -

On board the Condor, Aerrow and Piper lay next to each other on the deck of the Condor, sleeping under the brightly-lit stars. Their friends were inside their rooms, sleeping soundly.

However, little known to any of them, a stream of life flowed from one of the Storm Hawks and into the stars, leaving Atmos forever along with the Guardian of Atmos.

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**OMG! Which Storm Hawk member do you think died?! Find out in the next chapter!**

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	4. Bitter Departures, Bitterer Meetings

**Wow... it's already next year... damn... I'M SO SORRY! (I stopped working on this a little because Christmas was over last year. But now... it's a countdown towards Christmas I guess right now. lol.**

**ANYWAY... OMG, the news is out! Who of the Storm Hawks has died? OMG OMG OMG!**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy!**

**PLEASE R&R!**

**Disclaimer: Storm Hawks (c) Nerd Corps & Asaph Fipke  
Claimer: everything else (c) me**

* * *

Chapter Four: Bitter Departures, Bitterer Meetings

Adrian yawned as he woke up, stretching out his arms as he slowly sat up, gazing down lovingly at his still-seemingly-asleep girlfriend.

"Good morning, Kara," he whispered gently, reaching out to stroke her face. He shrank back when he realized how cold her skin was.

Thinking it a joke, he chuckled, shaking her shoulder. "Ha ha, very funny, Kara. Now stop playing and get up so I can take you to Terra Hospitia to check out what's wrong with you," he teased playfully.

But as she didn't reply, and her body was just completely limp, Adrian's heart began to race with tension.

"Kara? Come on, this isn't funny," he said, shaking her a little harder, worry shimmering in his eyes. He could feel that something was beyond wrong, as well as get the feeling of a deep pang of loneliness. All signs of her magic were gone, and he rested two fingers on her cool neck, feeling for her pulse. He found none… which had to mean…

_K-Kara… no… it can't be,_ he thought, immediately snatching back his hand as if touching her skin suddenly burned him.

Grabbing her body, he picked her up into his arms and shook her hard. "Kara! Kara! Wake up!" he cried out, tears streaming from his eyes as he held her tightly against his chest with realization.

Kara wasn't going to wake up; not now, not ever again. She was gone. Her head lolled limply towards his chest as he wept against her, angry at himself for not reacting fast enough to save her, as well as pushing it aside like it wasn't his first priority to make sure she was okay.

"Kara, I'm so sorry," he sobbed. "Please, you can't leave me! I love you so much…"

He felt like his heart lurched in the pit of his stomach as he found it hard to swallow. His eyes were blurry with tears, but he made out the pile of dust on the bed sheet; the remnants of what used to be a crystal. Instantly thoughts began to piece together in his head to make the final picture.

"Dammit, Kara!" he swore in both anger and despair, "Just _what_ did you need to go to Cyclonia for? _Why_ did you need to go see Cyclonis?" His arms tightened around her as he shouted out the question that had been eating away at him most. "Why didn't you tell me that you were dying, Kara? Why? _Why?_"

xXx

"Mmm…" Piper murmured, arising from her slumber as the sun shone on her face. "Wow… morning already… Come on, Aerrow. Wake up."

Turning to look at the Sky Knight, she noticed that his face was strangely paler than usual.

"Aerrow?" she asked in concern, reaching out to grab his hand. Almost instantly she retracted from the coolness of his skin.

Super alert now, she sat up and shook his furiously.

"Aerrow? Aerrow? AERROW? AERROWWWW!" she cried as she realized that the Sky Knight was dead.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed, tears streaming from her tangerine orbs like waterfalls. "AERROOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!"

xXx

_In another white shapeless land, Kara hovered depressingly between the world of the living and the next life. She sighed, taking a step forward before her nightgown changed into the pure white dress of her spirit outfit. That could only mean that she was to help lead another incoming spirit into the light of their respective afterlife._

Uh oh… not good,_ she thought as another spirit fazed into view in front of her, mentally trying to suppress the confirmation of her growing fears. _

_"No…" she breathed as Aerrow now stood in front of her. "NO!" _

_Breaking down to her knees, tears escaped her eyes as she sobbed into her hands. _

_"K-Kara?" he said questionably, as if he had no idea why he was there._

_"T-This wasn't supposed to happen!" she cried as Aerrow kneeled down in front of her. "None of you were supposed to die! _NONE!_"_

_He collapsed back on his rear in surprise. "Wait, _what_? _Die?_" he breathed. "I-I'm dead?"_

_"A-Aerrow… I-I'm so sorry…" she wept. _

_"Shhh… stop crying, okay?" he tried to reassure as he hugged her. "Everything will be alright."_

_After a while, she eventually stopped, sniffling and wiping away her tears. _

_"Now, can you please explain what's going on?" he inquired. _

_For the next while, she spewed out everything that she knew on why they had both died._

_Immediately after she finished her explanation, he looked both angry and amazed._

_"Who could have gotten hold of such a powerful crystal that could do something like kill anyone tied with the Guardian of Atmos?" he demanded._

_"I don't know!" she replied. "But whoever it is must _really_ have it in for me or something. Aerrow… I'm just so sorry… I never meant to drag you along into this."_

_"I know," he replied softly. "It's not your fault. But I _do_ have to thank you."_

_She looked up at him. "For what?" she asked._

_"For saving Piper," he answered with a small smile. "I'd rather it be me than her, any day."_

_"That's really sweet of you, Aerrow," Kara commented. "But still… I didn't mean to drag the Storm Hawks into my problems. I was supposed to die alone, not you, not Piper, no one else, just me. Guess that failed."_

_He nodded in agreement, knowing that if he said anything he would only guilt her further. "What can we do now?" he asked her quietly. _

_"We wait," she answered. "I know Adrian, Chris and Laura will come searching for me soon, and Piper and the Storm Hawks will go to find them." _

_xXx_

"Adrian… we're so sorry," Chris said quietly as he and Laura had gone to visit Adrian and Kara's house after sensing a disturbance from the house.

Laura gently pat him on the back in support.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door.

"Hey! Anyone home?" Finn's strained voice called.

Quickly Chris went to go and open the door, and the red-eyed Storm Hawks were standing on their doorstep, except for Aerrow, Radarr and Piper.

"Guys, what's wrong? Where's Piper, Aerrow and Radarr?" Laura inquired.

"A-Aerrow's _dead_!" Junko burst into tears.

Finn hugged his best buddy. "Piper's with him right now back on the Condor," he whimpered.

Adrian was deeply conflicted, feeling that both of the Sky Knights' deaths were connected. "Kara's dead too," he said quietly. "She was like that when I woke up this morning."

Junko wailed louder and Finn burst into tears, realizing that they had lost another dear friend.

"It's all my fault," Adrian said, pain in his voice as his hands tightened into fists. "Kara took that shot for _me_! Dammit, I should have known that crystal Cyclonis had was more deadlier than Kara claimed!"

Laura and Chris placed their hands on either side of his shoulders. They too were in mourn for one of their leaders, and were in pain that their other leader was in even more pain.

"Adrian…" Laura said softly, "it's not your fault."

"But it _is_," he wept, pulling away, stray tears falling freely from his pain-filled orbs. "_I_ let her die. _I_ pushed her illness aside until it was too late. She died because of _me_!"

The room fell into a silence as they allowed the Sky Knight to let his self-directed anger simmer out. They knew they couldn't tell him that they understood, because they had no idea just _how_ much guilt Adrian felt, and just how _much_ love he had felt for Kara.

"We need to talk to Kara, _now_," Adrian said in an empty monotone, wiping away the tears.

"B-But how?" Finn whined.

His voice filled with sadness of reminiscence. "Remember how one year ago we brought Piper back, it was because the four of us were in spirit form. I will cross back into the spirit world to find her, and I'll find out what's really going on."

"Can we come?" Junko inquired, his tone slightly desperate.

He shook his head. "I'm afraid not," he answered. "Only Laura, Chris and I can go. Unlike you, we have the ability to become spirits to cross-over into the world in between this one and the afterlife. We'll make sure to inform you all of what's happening. For now, just stay here inside the house while we get answers."

"Isn't there _any_ way we can go with you?" Finn begged.

Chris shook his head. "It's too dangerous, especially if the defence system starts up," he said. "You might end up dead and sent to your next afterlife. Kara will probably do what she can to protect Aerrow from that, but for her…"

Adrian twisted his gaze away, unable to come to that conclusion. "No… I won't let her," he said, his hands tightening into fists. "I won't allow her to leave like this without a fight."

"Adrian, Chris," Laura addressed softly, "we need to go. If Kara's as depressed as we think she is, she may leave sooner than we think."

"Okay," Adrian said, gesturing for the Storm Hawks to enter, "let's go. We'll be back as soon as we can, but we'll make sure to find out all the details before we leave."

"See you guys later," Chris bid.

Laura forced a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, we'll do everything we can to help," she told them.

In a brilliant flash of light, the three Wyvern Knights vanished.

* * *

**Awww... poor Adrian, poor Piper. **

**All those that thought that Piper was the one who died was WRONG. lolz. It wouldn't be nice to kill her off twice in total. :D But now poor Aerrow, he's so confused. **

**Until next time...**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


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